SEATTLE — On Tuesday, a group of people were occupying a space in a popular West Seattle park—a site, where the Seattle Parks and Recreation Department is planning to build new pickleball courts.
KING 5 spoke with Sandy Shettler, who believes West Seattle’s Lincoln Park is, "One of the last places within the City of Seattle that is both a haven for nature and the humans who need nature."
But that could be changing. The city's Parks and Rec Department is planning to build six pickleball courts in this space, which used to be tennis courts, by late fall. A plan that Shettler and others in the community are against.
According to Shettler and some others opposed to the plan, repetitive pickleball noise will disrupt the tranquility of nature within Lincoln Park.
"If we take away these pockets of wilderness by making them loud or heavy traffic we won't have the wildlife that fills us with awe," said Shettler.
Shettler said Parks and Rec didn't offer proper public input about the pickleball plan. So, she and a group of community members have decided to devise their own plan, to occupy the space and halt construction.
"We are monitoring the site 24/7 and we have a lot of support and we can continue this for a long time," said Shettler.
In addition to occupying the space, Shettler and others have created a petition that has more than 2,800 signatures, against the proposed pickleball courts.
Officials with Parks and Rec said they support everyone's First Amendment rights. However, the department sent KING 5 a statement saying it, "Will be establishing a work zone in the park where only staff and contracted workers will be permitted to enter. Any members of the public who enter this area will be asked to leave."
It's still unclear when construction will begin.